Draft gear



Aug.8,1933.4 j D, 1;-, SPROUL 1,921,046

DRAFT GEAR Filed July 30, 1931 JZ n i l l l l n I ,/JL y .i l2 l y A?slm V14 sz-\ v" l l l lll/lll @www aman-M .UNITED STATES DRAFT GEARDonald F. Sproul, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Cardwell WestinghouseCompany, a Corporan tion of Delaware Application July 30, 1931. SerialNo. 5545139v 6 Claims. (Cl. 213--38) The invention relates particularlyto that type having the form of a truncated cone, and the of draft gearin which the spring resistance i bearing face of the member 2o, withwhich the mounted on a transverse rod; and its object is to spring seatengages, is provided with a complef maintain the alignment of the springseats with mentary recess 27. The members 20, 25, being 5 the gearelements with which they directly coalways under pressure, the perfectalignment of 60 operate. their apertures is thereby maintained and Apreferred embodiment of the invention is smoothness of action, both oncompression and hereinafter described, and is illustrated in the releaseof the gear, is obtained, The bearing accompanying drawing in whichfaces of the members 20 and 25 extend laterally lo Fig. 1 is a detailplan section of the draft sills beyond the boss 26 and recess 27, andare hat and 65 of a railway car and of the draft'gear applied normal tothe axis of the rod 21. These flat faces thereto; cooperate with theboss and socket in insuring a Figs. 2 and 3 are views in perspective ofone of true centering of theineinbers. the draft gear elements and ofthe spring seat The invention is not limited to the rueconiwhichcooperates therewith. cal forni of the boss 26 and socket 27, it beingim- 7'0 The draft sills of a car are represented at l0, portant only'that the boss toward the apex, 11, and carry draft andbufng lugs 12,13, with whether its sides'be straight or curved. which the followers14, 15, cooperate. I claim as my inventionW The invention is disclosedin connectionwith 1. in a draft gear, in combination, a pair of the wellknown Cardwell draft gear, comprising opposed followers, oooperatinCTwedging elements 75* the two chambered followers le, 15; a pair oftriinterposed between the followers and including a angular wedge-blocks16, 17, seated against the pair of laterally movable members, astraining inner face of the end wall of each follower; a cenrodextending loosely through Athe last-named tral wedge member 18,cooperating with the members, springs mounted on the outer endporblocksof each pair 16, 17; a pair of outer wedgetions of the rod, seatscarried by the rod for the 30., blOCkS 19y 20, COOpela'Ilg,IeSDSC'EVely, with the outer ends of the springs, and spring seats forouter faces of the triangular blocks; a transverse the inner ends of thesprings and having slid-v lOd 21 @Xtendlg lllOLlgh apertures in themerning engagement with the rod and bearing on the beIS 18, 19 and 20,and th@ draft S1115; Springs 22, laterally movable wedge members, theengaging side of the sills, and each reacting between a nut taperingboss on one thereof and a complemen- 24 0n the Outer @Dd Of the IOd anda Spring Seat tary socket in the other whereby the apertures 25 haVIlgbearing UDCH D118 membelS 19, 20- in the engaging elements are broughtinto align- Upon compression of the gear the wedge-blocks ment,

16, 17, of eachpair are spread apart by the wedgs, in a draft gear, incombination, a pair of sov 111g aCOIl 0f '611B Central member 13, andthe opposed followers, cooperating wedging elementsl members 19, 20, aeSpread apart by the Wed-sing interposed` between the followers andincluding a aCtOIl Of the lallgulal blOCkS, agaDSt the 1^@- pair oflaterally movable members, a straining Sstane 0f the Springs 22, 23- Themembls 19, rod extending loosely through the last-named 20, and theSpring SeatS 25 Slide outwardly 11.13011 members, springs mounted on theouter end por- 95l lthe rod and, in order to provide freedom of actionsof the rod, seats carried by the rod for the tion, have a loose fitthereupon, outer ends of the springs, and spring seats for In theexigencies of service the apertures of the inner ends of the springs andhaving sliding the members 19, 20, and the spring seats freengagementwith the rod and bearing on the lat- -quently get out of line, one ofthese cooperating erally movable wedge members, the engaging 100 memberssliding frictionally along one side of the faces of such elementscomprising a boss having rod and the other along the other side thereof,the forni of an annular truncated cone on one with the result that thewear upon the rod is unthereof and a complementary socket in the otherevenly distributed, shoulders thereon are formed whereby the aperturesin the engaging elements which interfere with the free action of thegear are brought into alignment. 105

Aand tend to prevent complete release. 3. In a draft gear, incombination, a pair of The object of the present invention is tomainopposed followers, cooperating wedging elements tain the aperturesof these two elements in strict interposed between the followers andincluding alignment, and to that end the bearing face of the a pair oflaterally movable members, a straining `spring seat 25 is provided withan annular boss 26, rod extending loosely through the Vlast-named llo23, SleeVed UDCH the @11d portions of the rod out` faces of suchelements comprising an annular S51v members, springs mounted on theouter end portions of the rod, seats carried by the rod for the outerends of the springs, and spring seats for the inner ends of the springsand having sliding engagement with the rod and bearing on the laterallymovable wedge members, the engaging faces of such elements comprising aboss having the form of an annular truncated cone formed on the springseat and a complementary socket in the Wedge element whereby theapertures in the engaging elements are brought into alignment.

4. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers,cooperating wedging elements interposed between the followers andincluding a pair of laterally movable members, a straining rod extendingloosely through the last-named members, springs mounted on the outer endportions of the rod, seats carried by the rod for the outer ends of thesprings, spring seats for the inner ends of the springs and havingsliding engagement with the rod and bearing on the laterally movableWedge members, the engaging faces of such elements comprising an annulartapering boss on one thereof and a complementary socket in the other,and ilat sections extending laterally from the boss and socket wherebythe apertures in the engaging elements are brought into alignment.

5. A draft gear element comprising a tubular body faced at one end toform a seat for a spring, and having a radial flange adjacent itsopposite end, and being tapered beyond such flange.

6. A draft gear element comprising a tubular body faced at one end toform a seat for a spring and having a radial flange adjacent itsopposite end, the portion beyond the ange being of progressivelydecreasing diameter.

DONALD F. SPROUL.

